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Meat-Wrapped Tofu Kakuni (Braised Tofu)

by 料理研究家ゆかりのおうちで簡単レシピ / Yukari's Kitchen

This recipe is incredibly easy and healthy, making it a budget-friendly dish that pairs perfectly with rice. Try this exquisite meat-wrapped tofu kakuni, ideal for bento boxes or meal prep!

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add salt, 1/2 tsp. Blanch the spinach by dipping the roots into the boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Add the leaves and blanch briefly until a vibrant green color is achieved. Drain in a colander.
🕒 01:46
Return the pot to the heat and bring to a boil. Gently place 1 egg into the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the heat and immediately cool the egg in ice water. This is the trick for a perfectly centered yolk: gently roll the egg for the first 2-3 minutes of boiling. The trick for preventing the white from sticking to the shell: always cool the egg in ice water.
🕒 02:32
Cut 5cm of green onion in half lengthwise and remove the core. Spread it open and julienne. Place the julienned green onion in ice water, lightly rub with your hands, and soak for 5-10 minutes.
🕒 03:13
Squeeze out the excess water from the blanched spinach, trim the root ends, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
🕒 04:10
Cut 1 block of firm tofu (320g) into bite-sized pieces. For a kakuni-style cut, make them larger. Thoroughly pat the tofu dry with paper towels. The trick here is that you don't need to drain it extensively; simply patting it dry with paper towels is sufficient.
🕒 04:57
Tightly wrap the dried tofu with 8 slices of thinly sliced pork belly. The trick: use two slices of pork for larger tofu pieces, and one slice for smaller ones.
🕒 05:24
Evenly coat the meat-wrapped tofu with potato starch, as needed. The trick: coating with potato starch makes it juicy, helps the sauce adhere better, and prevents the meat from peeling off.
🕒 06:03
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, 2 tbsp, cooking sake (rice wine), 2 tbsp, mirin (sweet rice wine), 1 tbsp, and sugar, 1 tbsp. Mix well until the sugar granules have dissolved to create the sauce.
🕒 06:21
Lightly grease a frying pan with vegetable oil, as needed and heat over medium heat for about 30 seconds. Place the potato starch-coated meat-wrapped tofu in the pan with the meat seam side down, and brown it on all sides. The trick: always start searing with the meat seam side down.
🕒 06:40
After searing for about 2 minutes, roll the meat-wrapped tofu and continue to brown all sides, searing each side for approximately 1 minute. Once all four sides are browned, sear the remaining edges as well.
🕒 07:15
Once all sides are browned, pour in the prepared sauce. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Basting the tofu with the sauce or turning it frequently will help it thicken. It's ready when the sauce coats the meat.
🕒 07:51
Arrange the meat-wrapped tofu on a plate. Serve with the boiled egg, blanched spinach, and the soaked green onion. The trick: the egg can be simmered with the meat-wrapped tofu or simply coated with the sauce at the end; both ways are delicious.
🕒 08:40